Page 198 of Brutal Prince

Indi

If this is part of Briar’s plan, then it sucks. Yeah, it kinda looks like the psycho’s letting his guard down, but that doesn’t explain Briar’s need to shove a gag in my mouth.

So I screamed, so what? If I managed to alert someone in the neighborhood to our plight, then all the better. Because I’m sorry, but I’m not staking my life on the off-chance that Briar can talk sense into someone as obviously psychotic as Marcus.

Guess I was back of the line when they were handing out patience.

I glare at Briar above my gag, willing him to read the furious thoughts I’m daggering at him, but he keeps looking back at Marcus.

He’s so heavy on my stomach, it feels like all my internal organs are being pulverized.

I buck under him, letting out a muffled shriek.

That gets his attention. He glances down at me, widens and then narrows his eyes like he’s trying to Morse code me the detailed steps of this harebrained plan of his.

So kind of you to keep me informed, Briar.

Really. What a champ.

“Perfect,” Marcus says.

I turn my head, and focus my glare on him instead. He’s standing a yard away from the mattress, his cellphone in one hand and his gun in the other.

“You wanna do her doggy style, like Jess?”

“Nah. Just like this is fine,” Briar says.

Cold concrete oozes into my stomach. This is about the video again, isn’t it? I don’t even want to know, but I’m powerless to stop my thoughts going there.

Proof that Briar raped Jess. The one Addy was apparently using to blackmail him. I don’t know how much of it’s true. Which parts Briar’s bluffing about.

In a perfect — if unbelievable — world, Briar would somehow be innocent of all charges. Marcus is obviously a whack job — so why couldn’t it all have been him? Everything.

He killed mom.

I squeeze my eyes shut and swallow down a sob. There’s been zero time to deal with any of this shit, but this is not the time. Like hell that stops my brain thinking, though.

None of it makes sense, of course. Why the hell would Marcus drive all the way out to Lakeview? Was it all just for the stupid necklace around my neck?

I twist my hands, trying to get them out of Briar’s grip. If I could loosen that chain and throw the thing at Marcus, I would. Maybe then he’ll go away. Exploding into a plume of smoke.

Briar looks across at Marcus. “You got a good enough angle, bro?”

Seriously, what the fuck is with all the bros?

“Almost,” Marcus says, shifting to one side. “Yeah. Ready when you are.”

I look back at Briar the same time he looks at me. He gives me a faint smile, but I don’t know what to make of it. He leans back, one hand still gripping my wrists together at my sternum, while the other goes around his waist.

Between my legs.

I let out a muffled protest when he touches me, and shift under him, shaking my head.

There’s gotta be another way,I yell at him. Marcus is close enough for you to fucking storm him. Just do it!

But all Briar seems inclined to do is stroke my pussy. I close my eyes, wriggling furiously to get away from his fingers.

He leans down in a rush, putting his mouth right by my ear. “Would you stop moving? You’re making me hard.”

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